Minneapolis Theft Defense Lawyer
While most people think of theft, they think about someone taking something that doesn’t belong to them. However, in Minnesota, there are other crimes that are considered theft. Falsifying medical claims, falsely representing yourself, and other crimes could get you a conviction of theft.
So, what are the consequences?
Your consequences all depend on the value of the piece of property that you attempted to take.
Less than $500
If the property was worth less than five hundred dollars, you could be convicted of a petty misdemeanor. You are looking at ninety days behind bars and fines up to one thousand dollars.
Between $500 and $1,000
If the property was worth between five hundred and one thousand dollars, you could be convicted of a gross misdemeanor. Your consequences could include up to one year in jail. Your fine could reach up to three thousand dollars.
Between $1,000 and $5,000
Anything over one thousand dollars could be considered a felony.
If the property was worth between one and five thousand dollars, you could be facing up to five years in jail. Your fines could reach up to ten thousand dollars.
You could also be facing this punishment if you are caught stealing a controlled substance. This is also true if you are caught stealing something from a grave or corpse or you are caught stealing during a riot.
Over $5,000
If you are caught with property that is worth over five thousand dollars, you could be spending the next ten years in jail. Your fines could go up to twenty thousand dollars.
Other crimes that have the same punishment include controlled substances (Schedule I or II), theft of trade secrets, or the theft of explosives.
Over $35,000
If you are convicted of theft of property that is worth more than thirty-five thousand dollars, you could be facing jail time of up to twenty years. Your fines could reach up to one hundred thousand dollars.
If you were caught with firearms (no matter what the value) or you committed another crime along with theft (such as fraud or deception), you are also looking at spending up to twenty years in jail.
Besides the jail time and significant fines, you are also going to be looking at other consequences. You are going to be liable for punitive damages to the property owner. These can get to be expensive also, making theft a serious crime.
Because theft can be very serious, it is important that you find an experienced lawyer to help you through this difficult time.
Here are some tips to help you find the right lawyer for your case.
Ask your friends, family, and acquaintances who they used.
Most people know someone who has needed a lawyer so there should be someone you should ask. Even if they didn’t like their lawyer, at least you know who you shouldn’t hire.
Look online for reviews.
People love to leave reviews so the internet is filled with reviews, no matter what you are looking for. However, you must always remember that a lawyer can’t please everyone, so everyone is going to have some bad reviews. You also need to remember that people are more likely to leave bad reviews than good ones so you shouldn’t be discouraged by all of the negative reviews that you read.
Meet with several lawyers.
Most lawyers offer complementary sessions where you can meet with them to talk about your case. Even if you are only able to spend a few minutes with one, you should be able to tell whether or not you want to hire him or her.
It is important that you find the right lawyer to help you through this difficult time. Don’t hesitate to contact us for all of your legal needs. We would be glad to talk to you about your case and options so that we can figure out what you want to do
Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.
